But Nicola Dandridge, who runs the new higher education watchdog, said vice-chancellors’ pay must be addressed.

“Some salaries are out of kilter,” said Ms Dandridge.

The level of some vice-chancellors’ pay is the subject of “legitimate public concern” Ms Dandridge, chief executive of the Office for Students, told the committee’s inquiry into value for money in higher education.

Last month the vice-chancellor of Bath University, Dame Prof Glynis Breakwell, agreed to step down amid a row over her £468,000 pay packet.

Other universities embroiled in similar rows include Southampton and Bath Spa.

Universities Minister Jo Johnson has pledged to bring excessive pay for university bosses under control.

Nicola Dandridge told the committee that new rules meant “that anyone being paid more than £150,000 a year be required to justify it”.

The practice in some universities, where vice-chancellors sit on remuneration committees, is in particular need of attention, she said.

She argued that pay should be linked “in some transparent way” to performance.

However, she added that it was important to remember that universities are autonomous and some are “huge billion-pound operations”.